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Water can break up rocks, usually over some amount of time, because the liquid water seeps into small nooks and crannies, then when the water becomes cold enough and it freezes, it expands, forcing the rock or rocks apart, and since rocks are not very flexible but rather brittle this can cause the cracks to widen and lengthen, and break up the rocks.

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How does ice and water break up rock?

Ice and water can break up rock through a process called frost wedging. Water seeps into cracks in rocks, freezes, and expands, causing the rock to fracture. Over time, repeated freezing and thawing can eventually break the rock into smaller pieces.


How Frost helps break up rocks by pushing against the?

Frost breaks up rocks by the process of frost wedging. Water seeps into cracks in the rocks and freezes, expanding as it turns into ice. The expansion creates pressure that forces the cracks to widen, eventually causing the rock to break apart.


How does ice break rock?

It can do this in two ways. # The Ice can hold rocks in itself and rub these (like sandpaper) across other rocks as it moves, this causes the rocks being rubbed together to break.This is called abrasion. # It can also break rock as it freezes, this is because when water freezes it expands and thus if water enters a crack in a rock then freezes in the crack the ice will try to force the crack open and over time this breaks up the rock. This is called freeze-thaw.


What makes water a powerful cause of weathering?

Water is a powerful cause of weathering because it can seep into cracks in rocks, freeze, and expand, causing the rocks to break apart. Water can also chemically react with minerals in rocks, leading to their breakdown and erosion. Additionally, water can transport sediment and other weathered material, contributing to the reshaping of landscapes.


Frost action is an example of this type of weathering?

Rocks are porous which allows weathering by frost action. Water seeps into rocks and when temperatures drop to the freezing point, it turns into ice and begins to expand causing the rocks to break apart.

Related Questions

How does a sudden change in temperature break up rock?

in cold countries,water freezes inside cracks of rocks,expands,and causes rocks to break.


How does ice and water break up rock?

Ice and water can break up rock through a process called frost wedging. Water seeps into cracks in rocks, freezes, and expands, causing the rock to fracture. Over time, repeated freezing and thawing can eventually break the rock into smaller pieces.


How Frost helps break up rocks by pushing against the?

Frost breaks up rocks by the process of frost wedging. Water seeps into cracks in the rocks and freezes, expanding as it turns into ice. The expansion creates pressure that forces the cracks to widen, eventually causing the rock to break apart.


How does ice break rock?

It can do this in two ways. # The Ice can hold rocks in itself and rub these (like sandpaper) across other rocks as it moves, this causes the rocks being rubbed together to break.This is called abrasion. # It can also break rock as it freezes, this is because when water freezes it expands and thus if water enters a crack in a rock then freezes in the crack the ice will try to force the crack open and over time this breaks up the rock. This is called freeze-thaw.


How ice breaks rocks?

It can do this in two ways. # The Ice can hold rocks in itself and rub these (like sandpaper) across other rocks as it moves, this causes the rocks being rubbed together to break.This is called abrasion. # It can also break rock as it freezes, this is because when water freezes it expands and thus if water enters a crack in a rock then freezes in the crack the ice will try to force the crack open and over time this breaks up the rock. This is called freeze-thaw.


What makes water a powerful cause of weathering?

Water is a powerful cause of weathering because it can seep into cracks in rocks, freeze, and expand, causing the rocks to break apart. Water can also chemically react with minerals in rocks, leading to their breakdown and erosion. Additionally, water can transport sediment and other weathered material, contributing to the reshaping of landscapes.


How does freeze-thaw weathering cause rocks on coastal cliffs to break up?

Freeze-thaw weathering occurs when water seeps into cracks in rocks, freezes, expands, and then thaws. This repeated cycle of freezing and thawing weakens the rocks by exerting pressure on the cracks, causing them to widen and break apart. In coastal cliffs, the presence of water from the ocean can accelerate the freeze-thaw process, leading to the gradual breakdown of the rocks over time.


Frost action is an example of this type of weathering?

Rocks are porous which allows weathering by frost action. Water seeps into rocks and when temperatures drop to the freezing point, it turns into ice and begins to expand causing the rocks to break apart.


How can freezing water break a glass?

Because when water freezes, it expands. If there is no other space to take up, it has to push the walls of the container out


Why do crack in a rock get larger because water has frozen in them?

Weathering is the process which breaks rocks into smaller bits. This is one type of weatheringPhysical weathering is a physical action which breaks up rocks : An example of this is called freeze-thaw weathering when water gets into tiny cracks in rocks. When the water freezes it expands, if this is repeated the crack grows and bits eventually break off.


Why do cracks in a rock get larger because water has frozen in them?

Weathering is the process which breaks rocks into smaller bits. This is one type of weatheringPhysical weathering is a physical action which breaks up rocks : An example of this is called freeze-thaw weathering when water gets into tiny cracks in rocks. When the water freezes it expands, if this is repeated the crack grows and bits eventually break off.


What kind of weather can break up rocks?

All weather can and will break up rocks.